The Whippets of the Ferradermis FIRST Robotics Competition Team had a fantastic experience at Roboteer Rumble in Tremont, Illinois on November 4 and 5. The competition hosted 32 robots from 28 schools from Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

The team felt it was important to participate in a fall competition to help the many new members get a better feel for how FIRST events work before we launch into the new season in January. Learning opportunities were plentiful over the last few weeks as Ferradermis combined the best features of their two existing robots into one machine. They were able to attach the highly successful climber from the 2022 season robot to the swerve drive base that was their summer project. The robot also featured a cargo shooter designed this summer that for the first time could aim from a distance using a special camera.

Driver Jazmin Cederberg, Operator Andrew O’Toole, and Technician Zoe Olson led the team onto the field for each match with human player duties rotating through some of the new members. Dayna Carlson, Chacha Binagi, Rae Breisath, Margaret Brown, Belle Cohen, and Erison Dreksler all had a chance to take this role in matches and get a feel for how the drive team operates. Senior Peter Portwine took on the duties of pit crew chief, while Arson Webster-Barczak and Elora Wildermuth-Breitzman worked on electrical duties in the pit. Andrew Zimmermann, with an assist from Mel Prince, headed up the scouting crew and represented the team for alliance selections, while Maddi LaHaie and Cosette Wildermuth-Breitzman started work on building a greater social media presence for the team. Team members also rotated through the pit and took turns collecting scouting data in conjunction with the Warrriorbots from Muskego.

Friday evening and Saturday morning, teams had the ability to freely enter practice matches before playing five qualification matches over the course of the day on Saturday. Following qualifications, Ferradermis was invited to join the number six seeded alliance for the playoffs by the Warriorbots from Muskego High School and the HexHounds from Cedarburg High School, forming an all-Wisconsin alliance. The alliance fell in the quarter-finals.

Team members always take advantage of the chance to learn how other teams operate when we travel. The Roboteers, hosts of the event, are currently constructing a new robotics center adjacent to the high school. Several of our students had the opportunity to tour the construction site and were truly excited by the possibilities this new center will offer for the Roboteers robotics program.

Ferradermis is excited for what the new season will bring and thanks our many sponsors for their continued support! If additional students are still interested in joining before the start of the 2023 season, they should reach out to Laura Masbruch at lmasbruch@wwusd.org.

Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor
lmasbruch@wwusd.org